Based on extensive bench-scale data derived from the horizontal dense-phase pneumatic conveying of pulverized coal, a correlation of solids friction factor lambda(z) was proposed in an effort to establish a model to predict the pressure drop when coal fed to the gasifier. Further, it was also an attempt to modify some public models to verify their availabilities. Then, based on the data collected from an industrial-scale horizontal pipeline under the high pressure up to 2.0 MPa, the proposed model was found to be possibly among the best ones for predicting the pressure drops of the dense flow of pulverized coal. The modified Mallick and Wypych model can also provide satisfying predictions. The results suggest that the two models are both suitable for scale-up of dense-phase pneumatic conveying of pulverized coal at high pressures. (C) 2013 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.